Struffing box



"Oct. 14, 1941.

J. c. FORTUNE 2,258,887

STUFFING BOX Filed Feb- 5, 1940 Jame s a. 5am

BY I 2 A'I'IaNEYi".

' ing these parts together.

Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE s'rurrmo Box James O. Fortune, Houston, Tex, assignor to Reed Roller Bit Company,.llouston, Tex, a comm tion (of Texas Application February 5, mesa-ram. 317,270

4 Claims. (01. ass-1e) This invention relates to a stufllng boxfor" having portions of diiferent diameters may be 4 readily moved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a' means whereby a drill stem or other member may be lubricated so as to more readily move' through the stuihng box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stuffing box of the type ,referred to in which the packing elements may be forced into sealing engagement by fluid pressure, but in which they are shaped in a novel manner to provide a more eflicient seal and one capable of withstanding higher pressures than those heretofore employed.

Another object of this inventionis to provide -a sealing member for a pressure actuated stufling box and to reinforce the same in such a manner as to sustain said member againstdistortion by excessive pressures tending to leak past saidmember while permitting said member to be dis-,

torted by pressure exerted in a direction tending to seal said member.

Other objects and advantages, of this invenso,

tion will become apparent from the following description, taken in. connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a stuifing box constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same-structure. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same structure. Thedevice is-adapted to be connected to the upper end of a casing or surface pipe of a well 4 and for this purpose a special fitting i may be employed threaded on its lower end for connection with the casing or surface pipe, and provided on its upper end with a coarse thread 2 forming. part of a union.

its face a groove adapted to' receive a metal sealing ring 3.

Above the element l is thelower stuiling box 4, having a groove in its lower end adapted 50 likewise to receive-the sealing ring 8; A'union 1 put 6, having a part I adapted to engage a flange 8 on the body 4, and threads 9 to engage the threads 2 on the fitting l is employed for secur- The upper endof the fltting I hasforined in I I p v 1 forced end portions, which are. designated by the The body 4, intermediate its ends, is formed with a part III of relatively small inner diameter but of slightly larger diameter than the pipe which is to pass through the stumng box. 'The upper. end of this body member has a. larger diameter, as shown at H, and between theparts Iii and II is an upwardly facing square shoulderl2 and an overhanging upwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder l3. 1 7

Within the portion II and resting upon the shoulders l2 and I3 is an annular packing element M, which maybe of rubber or other resilient material found suitable for the purpose. This member is tapered from the diameter of the portion it of the body 4 to 'a smaller diameter 15, which is preferably the same as the largest diameter of the member adapted to pass through the stufflng box. The central portion or zone of the element It is formed with a still smaller diameter l5, which is preferably either the same size as or slightly smaller than the smallest diameter of the member which is adapted to. pass through the stuffing box. It will be seen that the element It is relatively very thick walled, and is formed with a channel around its outer pe= riphry, as shown at I! so that fluid under pressure maybe introduced between this member and the adjacent wall of the body s. Disposed within this hollowed out portion I1 is a spacer ring l8, having openings i9 therethrough so that the fluid under pressure may freely pass to act against the sealing element.

The central portion of the sealing element,

that is, the portion opposite the zone It and" opposite the hollowed out portion I1, is of a resilient-material without substantial reinforce ment to prevent it from being flexed toward and away from its axis. The opposite end portions of the sealing element It, however, are reinforced by fabric, or similar material, so as to form annular portions which are relatively quite rigid and able to strongly resist any tendency toward distortion. These end portions will therefore serve as supports for the central portion to resist axial as distinguished from radial movement of the material from this central portion. These reinstead left soft and pliable for a purpose which willvb'e presently explained. a

The body 4, at its upper end, is provided with be a flange 22 and overlying this flange 22 is a flange 23 of a second body member 24 adapted to receive a second packing element l4, which is in all respect identical with the first. This body member 24 has an inwardly extending flange 25 providing a downwardly facing shoulder 26 corresponding to the upwardly facing shoulder [2 in the body 4 and a downwardly facing shoulder 21, which is inclined inwardly and downwardly and which corresponds to the upwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder l3. A dowel pin 28, or other suitable means, may be utilized for properly orienting the body members 4 and 24, after which a coupling 29, of any conventional form, may be placed about the flanges 22 and 23 to draw them tightly together.

Now it will be seen that when the flanges 22 and 23 are drawn together, the shoulders 28 and 21 will be moved downwardly toward the packing M to tightly engage the same. Inasmuch as the end zonesof this packing element I4 are more or less rigid, this engagement may be made very firm. The portion 2i, however, being relatively soft and being wedged in between the sloping shoulder 27, the inner wall of the body 4, and the rigid portion oi the packing member below it, will serve to form a very eilective seal to prevent leakage through the joint between the body members 6 and 24.

Above the flange 25 the body member 25 is identical with the body member 4 above the portion lo, the flange 25 on its upper surface providing shoulders i2 and i3 corresponding to the shoulder of the same number previously described. The upper packing elernent i4 likewise has a second spacer element l8 and is formed in every way identical with the lower packing element.

It will be appreciated that as many stuiilng box units as desired may be added to this assembly one above the other, but for the purpose of this illustration only two such units are employed.

To the upper end of the body member 24' there is secured a reservoir 30. This reservoir. is provided with a flange 3i adapted to be clamped to the upper flange 32 of the body 24 by a coupling member 33 in the same manner that the flanges 22 and 23 are secured together. The flanges 3i and 32 may be properly oriented with respect to each other by 'means of a dowel pin 34, and the element 30 is provided with a downwardly facing radial shoulder 85 and a downwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 38, corresponding respectively to the shoulders 26 and 21 on the lower end of the body 24. These shoulders 35 and 38 will engage the upper end of the upper packing element H with the same purpose and effect that the shoulders 28 and 21 engage the upper end of the lower packing element i4.

The body 4 is provided midway of the part II with a tapped opening in which is mounted a.

fitting 31 and the-body 24 is likewise provided midway of its length with a tapped opening for the purpose of receiving the fitting 38, these fittings being for the purpose oi conducting fluid under pressure to. the interior of the respective body members within the channels I! of the respective packing elements so as to cause the central portions of these packing elements to be forced radially inwardly into sealing engagement with a memberpassing through'the stuffing box.

The body 24 is also provided with a tapped opening adapted to receive a fitting 39 leading through passageways ll and 4| to the inner edge of the flange 25 between the two packing elements i4. By means 0! this fitting and these passageways, a lubricating fluid may be introduced through the packing so that a member passing through the packings may be lubricated in-order that it might more readily pass through without tendency to drag the packing with it. i

It is'noted further that the upper end of the member 30 is provided with a tapered inner surface so that a member passing through the stuifing box may be hung on slips in this taper. The weight of a member so hung will tend to move the member 30 and the body member 34 downwardly and thus assist in properly compressing the respective packing elements I4 in an'axial direction during the assembly of the stufiing box and the tightening of the collars 28 and 33. This tapered element 30, however, is primarily for the purpose of forming a reservoir for a lubricant so that when a member is forced through the stuiiing box, it will be at all times lubricated just prior to passing through the uppermost of the packing elements l4.

In operation, a. member adapted to pass through a stufling box such as above described would preferably have a minimum diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the portions it of the packing elements. Thus, the central portion of each packing element will constantly be in engagement with the member even when no pressure is introduced behind portions of the packings are not reinforced but are substantially flexible. However, they cannot be moved to any substantial degree in an axial direction because the central portion oi each of the sealing elements is backed up at its opposite ends by a portion which is made relatively rigid. Thus, provision is made against the extrusion of these relatively pliable central portions of the sealing elements by high pressures.

When the portions of larger diameter 01 the member passing through the stufilng box engage either sealing element, they will come in contact with the inclined portions Joining the ends to the central portions of the sealing, members and upon further movement will force the central portions of the sealing members radially outwardly expelling some or the fluid under pressure in the spaces behind the sealing members so that the portions of larger diameter may pass through.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a means has been provided for carrying out all of the objects and advantages sought by this invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a housing having a zone of enlarged inner diameter adapted to receive a packing, an annular packing within said housing, said housing being formed with opposed annular shoulders at the ends or said zone adapted to provide abutments tor the ends oi said packlng, one or said ends being formed separately irom the remainder of the housing, and means for securing said end to the remainder of the -formed with opposed annular shoulders inclined toward the axis oi said housing and toward each other to form a means for retaining the ends flexible intermediate zone of saidpacking and a the adjacent wall oi the said housing.

' 2. In combination, a housing having zones of enlarged inner diameter adapted to receive a a packing, an annular packing within said houslng, said housing being formed with opposed annular substantially radialshoulders at the opposite ends .of said zones adapted to provide vent longitudinalmovement thereof, and said housing also being iormed with other annular shoulders at its opposite ends, said last mentioned shoulders being inclinedinwardly toward the axis or the housingv and toward each other to provide means for retaining saidannular packing in place,- one o! the ends 01'. said housing being formed separately from the remainder of the housing, and means for securing said end of said packing against radial movement within said housing, one of the ends of said housin being formed separately from the remainder of the housing, and means for securing said end to the remainder of the housing, said packing hav-- ing a relatively flexible intermediate zone adapted to be moved-radially inwardly to form a seal' about a member passing through the housing, and having relatively rigid end zones adapted to abut said radially extending shoulders, and said abutments for the ends 01-- said packing to preu to the remainder of the housing, said packing 4 having a relatively flexible intermediate zone adapted to be moved radially inwardly to-form a seal about a member passing through the stufling box and having relatively rigid end zones adapted to abut said radial shoulders,'to prevent endwisemovement of the packing, and a spacer ring intemosed intermediate the said end zone and adapted to abut' upon the relatively flexible-in-. termediate zone of the said packing and the adjacent wall oi. the said housing. 7

3. In combination, a housing having a zone of enlarged inner diameter adapted to receive a packing, an annular packing within said housing, said housing being formed with opposed annula'r radial extending shoulders at the opposite ends of said zone adapted to provide abutments for the ends of said packingto prevent endwise movement thereof, and said housing being also packing having relatively flexible annular portions engaging each of said inclined shoulders and forming a seal between the parts of said. housing, and a spacer ring interposed intermediate the said end zone and adapted to abut upon the relatively flexible intermediate zoneoi the. said packing and the adjacent wall of the said housing.

4. In combination, an elongated housing having a-plurality of spaced zones of enlarged innerdiameters, each of said zones adapted to receive a flexible 'annular packing, said housing being formed with opposed. annular shoulders at the ends of said zones adapted to provide abutments vfor theends oi" said packings, one of said abutments being formed separately from the re- .mainder of the housing and means'tor securing said end 'to the remainder of the housing, said packings having relatively flexible intermediate zones and relatively rigid end zones adapted to engage said abutments', spacer rings interposed intermediate the said end zones and adapted to abut upon the said relatively flexible -intermedi-.- ate zones of the said packings and the adjacent wall of the said housing, the said flexible annular packings adapted to form a seal between the parts of the said housing, and means for introducing a lubricant through the said housing between said packings.

JAMES c. ma'm 

